Dallas Auction House Sells Coin Donated To Church For $517,000

VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — A rare gold coin donated to a northwestern Indiana church has sold for $517,000 at auction.

A woman who’s a member of GracePoint Church in Valparaiso donated the coin to help finance a new church building for the congregation, which has held services in an elementary school since its founding in 2009.

Dallas-based Heritage Auctions said the $20 gold piece is one of only 10 known surviving 1866 Liberty Head double eagles stamped with “In God we trust.” Heritage Auctions says it sold Thursday during an auction that took place in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Illinois, and online.

The winning bidder’s name wasn’t disclosed.

Pastor Ben Lamb said Heritage Auctions earlier wired the church $150,000 for advance payment and that allowed construction to begin on the new building.